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Mongolian Nomad Friends

Travel Mongolia with the people who call it home

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Ten ways into Mongolia

Every journey starts and ends in Ulaanbaatar, with a Mongolian guide and driver the whole way. Pick one as it is, or use it as a starting point.

The sun setting behind a lone ger on the steppeAcross Mongolia

Grand Mongolia

The Gobi dunes, the old capital, the hot springs of Arkhangai and Lake Khövsgöl, in one long journey.

Length
15 days
Level
Moderate
Flights
Includes a flight
Price
Price on request
The Khongoryn Els dunes under a wide skyGobi Desert

Gobi Desert Expedition

Camel rides at the singing dunes, an ice-filled gorge, and the red cliffs where dinosaur eggs were found.

Length
8 days
Level
Moderate
Price
from $1,690
A Kazakh eagle huntress with her golden eagleAltai Mountains

Eagle Hunters of the Altai

Live with a Kazakh eagle-hunting family in the far west, below Mongolia’s highest mountains.

Length
10 days
Level
Challenging
Price
from $2,450
Saddled horses tied up outside a family gerCentral steppe

Heart of the Steppe

Wild takhi horses, a herding family’s summer camp, and Kharkhorin, the old imperial capital.

Length
6 days
Level
Easy
Price
from $1,290
Lake Khövsgöl from the air, forest running to the shoreLake Khövsgöl

Lake Khövsgöl & Reindeer People

A clear mountain lake near the Siberian border, then a ride into the taiga to the reindeer herders.

Length
9 days
Level
Moderate
Price
from $2,090

Festivals, short breaks and winter

Time your trip to Naadam or the eagle festival, see Ulaanbaatar in a few days, or come when the steppe is under snow.

Families run to meet the riders at a local naadam horse raceCentral steppe

Naadam Festival

Wrestling, horse racing and archery at Mongolia’s great summer festival, then out onto the steppe.

Length
8 days
Level
Easy
Price
Price on request
A hunter and his eagle at the Golden Eagle FestivalAltai Mountains

Golden Eagle Festival

Two days of eagle hunters, their birds and Kazakh horse games in Ölgii each October.

Length
8 days
Level
Moderate
Price
Price on request
A river winding through forest and steppeKhentii

Khentii, Land of Chinggis Khaan

Rivers, forests and the places of Chinggis Khaan’s early life, in Mongolia’s quiet east.

Length
8 days
Level
Moderate
Price
Price on request
Turtle Rock in Gorkhi-Terelj National ParkUlaanbaatar & Terelj

Ulaanbaatar & Terelj

The capital’s monasteries and museums, the giant Chinggis Khaan statue, and a night in a ger in Terelj.

Length
4 days
Level
Easy
Price
Price on request
A ger with a carved wooden door in fresh snowUlaanbaatar & Terelj

Winter with the Nomads

Snow, clear skies and a herding family’s winter camp, an hour or two from Ulaanbaatar.

Length
6 days
Level
Moderate
Price
Price on request

A country you cross, not tour

Mongolia is nearly three times the size of France, with about three and a half million people. Point at a trip to see where it goes.

by road by air

Ulaanbaatar

What it’s really like

There are no staged villages here. You’re a guest in working camps and family homes, so here’s the honest version.

The painted beds and table inside a ger
You sleep in a ger. Felt walls, a stove in the middle and painted beds around the edge. Tourist camps have shared showers; with families, the toilet is an outdoor long-drop.
A steamer of buuz, Mongolian dumplings
You eat what the family eats. Mutton, noodles, dairy and steaming buuz. Vegetarian works with a little notice.
A car on a long dirt road across the steppe
You cover real distance. Much of the country is crossed on dirt tracks, so some days are long drives, broken up with tea stops at roadside gers.
A family milks their yaks in the morning light
You join in, or just watch. Milking, herding, making airag: families are used to curious guests and happy to show you how it’s done.
A lit tent under the Milky Way
And the nights are dark. Far from any town, the Milky Way rises over camp.

When to go

Mongolia has short, green summers and long, bright, very cold winters. Pick a month to see what it’s like.

Families run to meet the riders at a local naadam horse raceMongolia

July

High summer and the warmest month. Some afternoon rain, wildflowers everywhere.

By day
23°C
At night
11°C

Typical in Ulaanbaatar. The Gobi is warmer by day; the mountains and the north are colder.

Naadam, the national festival of wrestling, horse racing and archery, runs from 11 to 13 July, with smaller naadams in towns across the country.

Trips running this month

How planning works

  1. Tell us your idea

    Use the planner below, or write to us. Rough dates and a few wishes are plenty to start.

  2. Get a day-by-day plan

    Within 48 hours you’ll have an itinerary and a price, made for your dates and your group.

  3. Shape it together

    Add a festival, slow down, go private, swap the camel for a horse. We adjust until it fits.

  4. We meet you in Ulaanbaatar

    Your guide is waiting when you land, and the open country starts at the edge of the city.

Good to know

The questions people ask us most. Anything else, just ask.

Visa rules change. Check the official list of visa-free countries on the Mongolian consular website before you book.

When is the best time to go?

June to September for travel in open country. July brings Naadam, the national festival; September brings gold larches and clear skies.

Come in early October for the Golden Eagle Festival in the far west. Winter is beautiful but very cold, often below −20 °C, and best as a private trip.

Do I need a visa?

Many nationalities can currently visit Mongolia visa-free for a short stay, and others can apply for an e-visa. The rules have changed several times in recent years, so check the official list for your passport before you book.

Tell us your nationality when you get in touch and we'll point you to the right process.

How fit do I need to be?

Each trip has a level. Easy trips involve short walks and optional riding. Moderate trips include long drive days and hikes of a few hours. Challenging trips go to remote areas with camping and several hours in the saddle.

You don't need riding experience for any of them. Mongolian horses are small and sure-footed, and we go at a walk unless you want more.

What are the toilets and showers like?

In Ulaanbaatar, everything is as you'd expect. Tourist ger camps usually have a shared shower block and flush toilets. With nomad families, the toilet is an outdoor long-drop, and washing means a bowl of warm water or a river.

Each itinerary tells you where you sleep each night, so there are no surprises.

What will I eat? Can you cater for vegetarians?

Country food is hearty: mutton and beef, noodles, rice, and a lot of dairy. Expect buuz (dumplings), khuushuur (fried pastries) and salty milk tea.

Vegetarian and other diets are possible with notice. Tell us when you enquire and we'll plan the cooking around it.

How long are the drives?

Mongolia is big, nearly three times the size of France, and many roads outside the cities are dirt tracks. Some days are long drives with plenty of stops.

We travel in a 4×4 with a driver who knows the routes. For the far west and north, we fly part of the way.

Can we travel privately, as a family, or on our own dates?

Yes. Any trip on this site can be run privately for your own group, on dates that suit you, and we can join trips together or shorten them.

Families are welcome: children usually love the animals and the open space.

Will I have phone signal and internet?

In towns and along main roads, usually yes. In remote areas, often not. A local SIM card from Unitel or Mobicom, bought in Ulaanbaatar, works best.

What about money?

Mongolia's currency is the tugrik (MNT). Cards work in Ulaanbaatar and larger towns, but carry some cash for the countryside, for snacks, souvenirs and tips.

Plan your trip

Tell us roughly what you’d like. We’ll come back within 48 hours with a day-by-day plan and a price, then shape it with you until it’s right.